04.18.08

I just have to write about the Melbourne, Australia-based band Cut Copy’s new album, In Ghost Colours. I bought it this week and I just can’t stop listening to it. I think I have listened to it about 20 times already and I just can’t get enough of it. It seems to take everything I loved about 80’s new wave and combine it with everything I love about indy rock. It makes me tap my feet and want to get up and dance. It wasn’t until I did a little homework that I also found that this band has a design twist.

Cut Copy began in 2001 as a project of front man Dan Whitford. In 2003 he joined forces with Tim Hoey (guitar/bass/backing vocals/sampler) and Mitchell Scott (drums). In 2005 they began touring internationally, opening for bands like Franz Ferdinand, Junior Senior, Bloc Party and Mylo. Last year they toured Australia opening for Daft Punk on the Neverland tour. Apparently the Sydney leg of the tour hosted an audience of 50,000 strong. Cut copy is signed to Modular Recordings who has also signed Wolfmother and the New Young Pony Club.

If you are not a fan of the 80’s, you probably won’t like this album. If you like to get up and dance, have fun and don’t mind listening to something poppy and optimistic, then this album is a winner. I absolutely love it and as I said, I just cannot get enough of it. It’s the best album I have purchased in a long time and my favorite so far this year.

So after all of that, you are still asking, ‘Where is the design twist?’ Well Cut Copy frontman Dan Whitford is also a graphic designer. You can read more about the design endeavours of Dan Whitford on his page at Modular here. He founded a creative studio called Altar in Australia while working on his music. You can see Altar’s work at their website.

Talk about serious talent, Cut Copy has it in spades. Good music and design. I’m sold.